Interelation of the Sign Elements of the Idea of Law in the Context of Semiotic Legal Analysis

Abstract

In the article the system of interrelations of the elements of the idea of law and the most important aspects of their’s researching are investigated on the basis of Semiotics of Law’s methodology. Their’s place in the sign structures of law and relations between main (basic) elements of the idea of law as legal sign constructions are explored. Binary oppositions «chaos – cosmos», «life – death», «Eros – Thanatos», «heaven – earth», «light – darkness», «spirit – body», «city – forest», «opinion – meaning», «nature – culture», «cultural hero – trickster», «epic hero – enemy», «stranger», «body – soul», «present – absent», «perceived – the unknown», «subject to – not subject to», «beginning – ending», «order – disorder», «harmony – disharmony» and conceptual notion of «consistency», «orderliness», «chaos», «entropy», «peace», «life», «patriotism», «war», «lawlessness», «fate», «enemy», «arms», «revenge», «battle», «glory», «competition» is discussed in relation to the elements of the idea of law in the context of semiotics and legal analysis. It’s stated that the binary opposition and material ontologу «chaos (disorder) – cosmos (order)», which reflects the essence of law, is a variant of a pair of «war – peace». Also the article states that the term «peace» is meant commonly as the period between wars that have characterized diplomatic relations between groups of people, nations and states, and the corresponding state of harmony in society. Proposed and discussed a broad understanding of the concept of peace, which implies a state of social relations in which real system of institutions and mechanisms, designed to prevent the emergence of new social conflicts and effectively help to resolve existing social contradictions, is established. The contents of related legal sign structures, such as freedom, justice, common good, solidarity and order are defined. Methodological possibilities and heuristic potential of the productive use of the semiotics approach in the process of researching of the idea of law are determined.